1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a silent damper with directionally dependent damping, and with a self-adjusting O-ring cap for eliminating or minimizing rattle. A typical application for such a damper would be for use with an automotive glove box.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, it is known to provide a damper, such as for use with an automobile glovebox, which has directionally dependent damping which is varied by the degree of air or fluid communication between the opposite sides of a reciprocating piston. An example of such a damper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,697,477, entitled "Air Damper" issued on Dec. 16, 1997 to Hiramoto et al. in which an O-ring within the piston assembly moves dependent upon the direction of travel of the piston thereby changing the damping strength. Additionally, this reference discloses ridges cut into the side of the cylinder and a cylinder of varying diameter to vary the damping dependent upon the location of the piston within the cylinder. However, as the O-ring travels over a circular disk-type support, the movement of the O-ring can have unwanted resistance, roughness and noise. The O-ring can even bind in such a configuration.
Additionally, the cap of the damper disclosed in the Hiramoto reference is substantially inelastic and therefore is susceptible to rattle and does not provide for any rotation of the piston shaft which is of rectangular cross section. Moreover, a damper with such a cap does not compensate for misalignment of the glovebox or allow for a simple adjustment from a right-hand part to a left-hand part.
Other references in this field include U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,263 to Grundei et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,634 to Grundei et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,700 to Popjoy; U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,115 to Bauer et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,098 to Jobmann et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,893 to Chalaire et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,857 to Zweiniger et al.